Improvement in railway-track closers



l. N. HAINES.

7 Railway Track-Closer. No. 163,066. PatentedMayHJ875.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOB: n. M 4 I ATTORNEYS.

THE GRAPHIC COJHOTO -L|TH.39&41 PARK PLAcLN-Y. X

UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrrono ISAAC N. HAINES, OF POMEROY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPRQVEMENT IN RAILWAY-TRACK CLOSERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,066, dated May 11, 1875; application filed April 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC N. HAINES, of Pomeroy, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Track-Closer, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse section of my improved track-closer; and Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, showing it in position on and off the track.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-' sponding parts.

My invention relates to an improved trackcloser that is easily and quickly applied to the rails, so as to take the place of the wide log hitherto employed for this purpose.

The invention consists of blocks of suitable size, which extend with their top parts over the rails, and slide in base-shoes by the action of lever and double-crank connection, so as to put the blocks simultaneously on or ofi the track.

In the drawing, A represents the blocks of my improved track-closer, which are made of castiron or other metal, and of such size that their top parts rise to suitable height above the rails, and extend sidewise over the same, as shown in Fig. 1. The blocks A slide by base-flanges in guide-shoes B, which are firmly fastened to the cross-tics outside of the rails.

Both blocks A are connected by pivoted rods to to a double crank, C, which may be placed between the track, or to one side of the same, as desired. The double crank O has an operating-lever handle, 0, by which the crank is swung in either direction in its pivot-bearings b, a recess of the cross-tie admitting the unobstructed turning of the crank.

The crank-lever may be locked by a padlock to staples of the cross-ties, so as to secure the position of the blocks on or off the track, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The track-closer closes the track as efi'ectually and safely as if a log were thrown across the same, while it is much more conveniently operated than the cumbrous locking devices at present in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A track-closer for railwaytracks, composed of sliding blocks extending over the rails,

guide-shoes, and operating double-crank and lever mechanism, applied substantially as specified.

ISAAC N. HAINES. Witnesses:

WILsON A. MoNIss, W. L. PHILLIPS. 

